176 



both the South Indian Railway and Madras and 

 Southern Mahratta Railway have given concessional 

 parcel rates. To regular firms and in larger parcels 

 soap is sold on favourable terms, and the demand is now 

 greater than the output which we are trying to increase. 

 We have been gravely hampered by the absence of 

 caustic soda, and have been forced to obtain a parcel of 

 30 tons from America ; pending arrival we were enabled 

 to carry on sparingly by a loan of two tons most courte- 

 ously lent to us by Messrs. Binny & Co. from the 

 Buckinorham Mills. 



32. Accounts. — Both as regards fisheries and soap 

 works the accounts have been systematized. By the 

 courtesy of Messrs. Binny & Co. and Messrs. Parry & 

 Co., my office head clerk M.R.Ry. C. R. Natesa Pillai, 

 who is a careful and experienced hand, was permitted to 

 inspect their forms of accounts and to establish a good 

 system ; for the soap works these have been improved 

 by recruiting a book-keeper experienced in trading 

 accounts ; these exhibit every detail, and the profit and 

 loss accounts may therefore be relied on as business 

 statements. As the accounts are now being profes- 

 sionally audited in view not only to ascertain their 

 correctness in form and fact, but also to obtain any 

 suggestions for their improvement, a supplementary 

 report* dealing with the financial position of the depart- 

 ment and of its several branches, will be submitted 

 shortly, in time for the usual review by Government. 



•Not reprinted in this Bulletin ; it may he perused in full in G.O. No. 2S5, 

 Revenue, dated the 21st January 1918. 



